Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Acura has revealed more details and photos of its most powerful sedan ever, the 377hp 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD. Set to premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 20, the new luxury sports sedan features Acura’s new three-motor hybrid system and an all-wheel drive setup.

On sale next spring, the 2014 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD is the first vehicle to use Acura’s new three-motor hybrid powertrain technology.

The electric SH-AWD system on the RLX Sport Hybrid eliminates the conventional drive shaft and rear differential, replacing them with two high-output 27-kilowatt (36hp) electric motors. Itgets a further boost from a 35-kilowatt (47hp) front electric motor that supplements engine torque to the front wheels and provides regenerative brake torque to charge the vehicle's 260-volt lithium-ion battery pack.

Thanks to this advanced hybrid powertrain and the instant torque from the high-output electric motors, Acura says the RLX Sport Hybrid sprints from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) as quickly as V8-powered models (no exact figures were released).

Design-wise, the car doesn’t look different from regular 2014 Acura RLX models, but inaugurates new technologies like the Acura electronic gear selector and Acura Head-Up Display System. The former replaces the conventional, center console-mounted shift lever with a push-button array that allows the driver to select the desired drive mode (Park, Drive and Reverse, as well as Sport and Normal driving modes).